MP stands down paving way for potential Burnham return

A former Labour minister has announced he will stand down as an MP for medical reasons, paving the way for a potential Westminster return for Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.

Andrew Gwynne said he had suffered “significant ill health” over most of his parliamentary career and been advised by a GP that he would be unable “safely to return to work” in his job.

Since February 2025, Mr Gwynne has sat as an Independent MP following his suspension from the Labour Party over offensive WhatsApp messages.

The move triggers a by-election in Mr Gwynne’s Gorton and Denton seat, and has prompted suggestions that Mr Burnham – who has attracted speculation about his ambitions since last year – could seek to stand.

But Mr Burnham told the Local Democracy Reporting Service earlier he was “in the dark” about the reports, and had not been in contact with Mr Gwynne on the issue.

“People shouldn’t rush to conclusions,” he said.

A source close to Labour’s National Executive Committee said it was “hard to tell” whether the mayor would be approved as a candidate for the contest, with support among the party’s ruling body “not clear”.

Mr Burnham does enjoy some support among backbench Labour MPs, with one telling the Press Association the party leadership would be “foolish” to block him from standing in the impending by-election.

Saying the party would be “completely finished” if Mr Burnham was blocked, they added: “Today, for the first time in 18 months, things have just started to look up a bit.”

Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer said the NEC would set out the process for selecting a candidate, adding Mr Burnham was “doing an excellent job as Mayor of Manchester”.

In a statement on Thursday, Mr Gwynne, who initially won the seat of Denton and Reddish in 2005 and served in a variety of shadow frontbench roles, said being elected was “the honour of my life”.

“I haven’t got everything right and I’ve certainly made mistakes, but I’ve always tried my very best and I have helped tens of thousands of constituents with their issues along the way,” he said.

“Indeed it’s been helping people that’s given me the greatest pleasure in these jobs.”

Re-elected in 2024 for the new seat of Gorton and Denton, Mr Gwynne was made a health minister in the new Labour Government but was sacked in February 2025 and suspended from the party over offensive texts.

The MP said he “humbly” apologised to “those I upset, offended or angered” in relation to the leaked messages, and thanked people who “supported me though some of the most difficult mental health challenges of my life”.

“You probably saved my life at its lowest point,” he said.

His departure from the Commons could be formalised as soon as next week under an archaic procedure that will see him appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.

MPs are legally barred from resigning, but are disqualified from sitting in the Commons if they are appointed to that office or made Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds.

The last MP to leave the Commons in this way was Mike Amesbury, who was made Steward and Bailiff of the Chiltern Hundreds in March last year following his conviction for assaulting a constituent.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “We look forward to local residents in Gorton and Denton soon having the opportunity to get the representation they deserve with a new Labour MP.

“While Reform fill their ranks with more and more Tories who failed the country, people living in Gorton and Denton will soon have the opportunity to elect a local champion and Labour MP who will be relentlessly focused on tackling the cost of living, cutting NHS waiting lists and bringing investment and jobs to the local community.”

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said Mr Gwynne’s resignation showed Labour offered “the same old chaos as under the Conservatives”.

She said: “Labour are too busy fighting amongst themselves instead of fixing the NHS or tackling the cost of living.

“People in Gorton and Denton and across the country deserve so much better than this endless soap opera.”

A Reform UK spokesman said the party would “throw everything at” the by-election, adding it would be “a huge ask for anyone to beat Labour in Manchester”.